It is a way of stealing that many of you probably have never heard of. The whole process is quite simple -- insert a plastic pipe into a sack of rice and wait until a certain amount leaks out through it.

Using this method, a group of perpetrators led by Rabindranath Biswas, officer-in-charge of four food warehouses in Barguna's Amtali upazila, had allegedly been stealing rice from the government warehouses for a long time.

They used to steal three to four kilograms of rice from every 50kg sacks.

Nobody suspected anything in this regard until a video of stealing rice went viral on social media on Thursday night.

Sarwar Mahmud, director-general of the food department, came across the video and paid a surprise visit to one of the food warehouses in Amtali on Friday and formed a three-member committee, headed by Patuakhali District Food Controller Liaquat Hossain, to investigate the incident.

Four food warehouses in Amtali have been sealed to carry out a fair probe. The probe report will be submitted within this week.

Contacted, Rabindranath Biswas claimed that the video that went viral was not recorded in his warehouse.

He claimed that a vested quarter was trying to frame him in a conspiracy.

Sarwar said if the investigation proves the theft of rice, lawful action will be taken against those involved.